ACB relaunches Afghanistan Premier League in Dubai

The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) organised the trophy‑unveiling ceremony for its newest franchise‑based T20 league, the Afghanistan Premier League, on Tuesday in Dubai. The ACB unveiled three franchises: Kandahar Warriors, Axcel United Kabul and Balkh Zwanan and has named the silverware Koh‑E‑Zafar (Mountain of Victory).

The tournament is slated to get underway on December 27, although the ACB has not yet revealed the full schedule. The event is also likely to be held in the UAE. Player registration for the Draft will open on August 30, and the Draft will take place on September 27.

Notably, this is not the first time the ACB has attempted to conduct a tournament of such magnitude. The board launched an Afghanistan Premier League in 2018 as well. The five‑team event featured several high‑profile names, including Shahid Afridi and Chris Gayle. However, it was discontinued after one season due to integrity and payout issues.

"Today is a landmark occasion for Afghan cricket. The unveiling of our inaugural franchises and the Koh‑E‑Zafar trophy reflects our shared vision of building a league that inspires future generations," ACB chairman Mirwais Ashraf said in a statement. "Naming this trophy Koh‑E‑Zafar was deliberate. A mountain of victory is not climbed in one season - it is built over years, by players who come after us. Today we unveil the franchises that will carry that responsibility, and a competition structure that gives every young cricketer in this country a visible path from the district ground to the international stage."

The owner of Axcel United Kabul expressed pride in getting the opportunity to represent Kabul, a city that has produced several of Afghanistan’s finest cricketers, including Asghar Afghan and Naveen‑ul‑Haq.

"This is a city that has produced some of the finest cricketers Afghanistan has given the world, and our job is to build a franchise those players and this city recognise as their own - professionally run, competitive from day one, and permanent," the owner of Axcel United Kabul said in his statement.

"Zwanan means youth, and that is not decoration on a badge - it is our mandate. Balkh and the north have talent that has never had a professional pathway. We intend to scout it, sign it, and put it on a stage where the whole country and the wider cricketing world can see it," the Balkh Zwanan owner said.

"Kandahar supporters do not come to watch politely. They come loud, and they expect a team that plays the same way - aggressive, fearless cricket that reflects the character of the south," the Kandahar Warriors owner mentioned.